As An Indigenous Woman This Is How I Feel About Confederate Statues

People who are pissed about taking down confederate statues say that in doing so, “they will be erasing history.” Why would anyone want to remember these slave owning traitors? Put them in a museum. After the surrender of Lee, Lincoln allowed the Confederates to return home instead of hanging them.

“They would also say that no one will remember the Sioux people if UND changed their nickname. White people would literally spit at us over the discourse.”

This whole issue reminds me of when we were students at UND a group of us constantly spoke out against the University’s mascot or nickname, the Fighting Sioux. We knew in our hearts it was the right thing to do. We did it because of the racial incidents that kept happening to us yet they proclaimed to honor us. It seemed like most people in Grand Forks didn’t even like natives or the real Lakota/Dakota. It is crazy how hard core the community and college people defended the nickname while talking down to us native students. So it was like Grand Forks wanted this nickname yet didn’t even like the real, actual people they proclaimed to honor.

They would also say that no one will remember the Sioux people if UND changed their nickname. White people would literally spit at us over the discourse. For real. At the end of the National anthem the hockey fans all yell, “home of the Sioux!” Chuss but when it comes to interacting with real oyaté they wouldn’t. They don’t give a sheeit.

Standing Rock helped change the nickname. Former Chairmen: Jesse Taken Alive, Ron His Horse Is Thunder and our former Vice-Chair Avis Little Eagle were instrumental in helping us. They backed the native students, Standing Rock students 100%. They truly listened to us. Again, we could not have done it without the support of our sister tribes and white allies.